Meeting focuses on multifamily housing in agricultural zones

Friday

Mar 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — During their joint meeting on the comprehensive rezoning project, City Councilors and Planning Board members discussed multifamily housing in agricultural zones, and discussed upcoming meetings to seek public input on the project.

The comprehensive rezoning project has been in the works for more than a decade, and during Tuesday’s meeting, a tentative goal was set to have the council adopt the plan by July or August. After the Planning Board votes to recommend the plan to the council, the council, after revisions and public hearings, will vote to approve the document.

Once approved, the rezoning plan will replace Chapter 42, the zoning chapter, of the city’s General Ordinances.

Planning Board member Tim Fontneau noted at Tuesday’s meeting that the Planning Board has made a change to the proposed new ordinance on Monday, so that multifamily homes would be permitted in agricultural zones, highway commercial zones, as well as Residential 1 zones dedicated mostly to single family homes. Multifamily housing in those districts would only be allowed if the buildings are connected to the city’s water and sewer systems.

Fontneau said that multifamily developments, such as apartment buildings, haven’t been permitted in agricultural zones for many years.

He said that allowing apartment buildings in a zone meant for open space preservation might benefit developers, but not the residents living there.

“It does nothing to the city as a whole,” said Fontneau.

David Walker, the council representative to the Planning Board, said that the placement of available water and sewer in the city would naturally restrict apartment buildings from being built in certain areas, such as those in the outskirts of the city.

“The rural nature of the “aggie” zone — that will be maintained,” said Walker.

Fontneau, in turn, said it would be better to pinpoint where multifamily zones would be beneficial, and then zone accordingly.

Planning Board Vice Chairman Derek Peters noted that with the most current rezoning proposal, almost two-thirds of the city would be zoned agricultural. Currently, 59 percent of the city is zoned agricultural, compared to the proposed 65 percent.

City Manager Daniel Fitzpatrick said that when the deal was signed to have a manufacturing plant move into the city — to be a colocation of Safran USA and Albany Engineered Composites — his thought was that Rochester needs more housing. Without available mid- to high-income housing, he said employees moving from other areas of the country, or even from Europe, may choose to move to Dover or Portsmouth rather than to the Lilac City.

Mayor T.J. Jean agreed that the city should not miss out on having quality multifamily development in the city.

As the Planning Board and City Council prepare to approve the plans, they agreed Tuesday to schedule ward meetings and seek input from residents on the proposed plan. The newest proposed plan is available on the city website, www.rochesternh.net.

By April 30, all six wards in the city will have ward meetings, during which planning officials will be available to answer questions. Meeting dates for all wards have not yet been scheduled.